Abstract:
Development of a new capability for recovery of stratigraphic and rock samples from Antarctica. The ANDRILL (ANtarctic geological DRILLing) Program has a new drilling rig and system to recover rock and sediment core from the Antarctic shelf. The new drilling rig operates from a floating ice platform (sea-ice or ice shelf) and can function in water depths up to 1000 m and ... recover up to 1000 m of sediment core (> 95% core recovery). This new system builds on the success of the Cape Roberts Project. A diamond bit, wire-line system with re-circulating mud and riser system ensures high % core recovery. This drilling system will be first employed in Antarctica during years 2006 and 2007 as part of the McMurdo Ice Shelf Project (MIS) and the Southern McMurdo Sound Project (SMS), descriptions of which are available at site http://andrill.org/. The MIS Project will access the water column and sea-floor through a 130 m-thick ice shelf. No data are yet available, because drilling has not yet started. This entry is to note the availability of the new tool for Antarctic geological exploration.